Sealing device.



J. D. HOUGK. SEALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED .TAN.10, 1914.

Patented June 16, 1914.

JOHN D. I-IOUCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SEALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application filed January 19, 1914. Serial No. 811,406.

Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sealing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and rse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in strap seals for packages, boxes, etc. and the object in view is to produce a simple and efficient device of this nature so arranged that, when applied to the lock, any tampering with the device may be easily and readily detected.

More specifically, the invention consists of a strap seal made of a piece of metal which is secured transversely at diflerent locations, the strap being bent at angles along two of the scored lines, both ends of the straps being passed through a slot in the keeper and the projecting end of each strap then bent again along scored lines and forming means whereby any attempt to straighten the strap at the portions where it has been bent will cause the strap to break and thus give evidence of the case being tampered with.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the application of the device to a lock. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the strap bent to the form shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the strap before being bent showing the transverse scored lines. Fig. 4: is a View showing the strap bent at two locations and in readiness to pass the ends through the keeper. Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the form shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 6 is a sectional. view on line 66 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a sli ht variation in the construction of the dev1ce.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a keeper which may be of any construction and size and which may be adapted for the purpose for which it is to be used and in the present instance I have shown the same as beingof cylindrical shape and provided with a slot B therein.

The sealing strap is designated by letter D and is made preferably of a metal of any suitable kind which has scored lines which are formed at distances apart, two of the scored lines being designated by letters H and the other two, there being four scored lines formed, designated by letter K.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, I have shown a slight modification of the invention in which the strap D is bent along the scored lines H and two parts of the strap passed through an aperture in a keeper A and the strap again bent along the scored lines K with the portions intermediate the bent portions K and the ends of the strap being curved and bearing against the face of the keeper A, while the extreme ends of the straps are flush with the opposite edges of the keeper.

I11 adjusting the device to the keeper, the strap is first bent at angles along the scored lines H, as shown in Fig. 4: of the drawings, after which the two ends which are brought together are passed through the keeper and the straps then bent along the scored lines K at acute angles as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and in this form parts of the strap intermediate the scored lines H and K will frictionally engage the opposite walls of the slot of the keeper with sufficient friction to hold the seal from moving in the slot incident to ar or vibration. In the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, the ends of the strap are outwardly curved or convexed and are adapted to bear against the face of the keeper and serve to prevent the strap from moving in one direction, while the inclined parts D, in engagement with the slot in the keeper, will tend to prevent the seal from moving in the opposite direction.

When the strap seal is applied in the manner shown, it will be noted that any attempt to bend along the scored lines K the ends of the straps which have been passed through the slot will cause the straps to break along these lines and it will be impossible to bend the strap along the lines H in the event of it being desired to bend the strap upon itself by reason of the wedging action that the parts intermediate the scored lines H and K will have against the mar ginal edges of the slot in the keeper.

By the provision of a strap seal made in accordance with my invention, it will be noted that it will be impossible to withdraw either end of the strap through the slot without bending the strap along the scored line and which would readily indicate that the seal has been tampered with.

In order to identify the particular strap, a numeral or numerals, as shown, may be stamped or otherwise formed in the strap near each end and which part carrying the numerals, when the strap is bent along the adjacent scored line, will cause the same to be broken off.

lVhat I claim to be new is A seal for packages, boxes, etc., co1npris ing a strap having transverse scored lines, spaced apart and along which lines the strap is adapted to be bent forming two arms at inclinations to each other both arms being designed to be passed through a slot in a keeper, each arm being again bent along scored lines opposite each other and cooperating with the inclined portions of the arms to retain the seal in place, as set forth. In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN D. HOUCK.

Witnesses A. L. HoUeH,

FRANKLIN. H. HOUGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

